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José Andrés is a Spanish-American chef, restaurateur, and humanitarian, renowned for his innovative culinary ventures and philanthropic efforts. He is the founder of World Central Kitchen (WCK), a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing meals in the wake of natural disasters and humanitarian crises. Beyond his humanitarian work, he has been instrumental in popularizing Spanish cuisine, particularly the concept of tapas, across the United States.
Find out more about him below.
José Andrés Is a Legendary Chef
Jose Andres leaves to deliver to-go meals to area firefighters and the homeless in Washington, DC, USA, 19 March 2020. (XOAN REY/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock)
José Ramón Andrés Puerta was born in July 1969 in Mieres, Asturias, Spain. While growing up outside Barcelona, José enrolled in cooking school at the age of 15. He attended the School of Restaurants and Hotels of Barcelona, according to PBS, and trained in “Michelin-starred restaurants including El Bulli with world-renowned Master Chef and friend Ferran Adrià.” He found his way to the United States, working with Rob Wilder and Roberto Alvarez’s Proximo restaurants. José, while heading the kitchen at Jaleo, helped create one of the first critically and commercially successful tapas restaurants in the United States and is credited with introducing Americans to avant-garde and traditional Spanish cooking.
He’s a Humanitarian
José is the founder of World Central Kitchen, a 15-year-old non-profit.
“In 2010, my wife Patricia and I had a big dream to start World Central Kitchen,” wrote José on the World Central Kitchen’s mission page. “We envisioned an organization that would use food to empower communities and strengthen economies, and for many years we saw an amazing impact through our clean cookstoves initiative, culinary training programs, and social enterprise ventures. But we had no idea we would one day be answering calls in Puerto Rico and around the world to serve meals in the aftermath of disaster – and we quickly learned that food is a powerful tool to heal communities in times of crisis and beyond.”
World Central Kitchen was fundamental in aiding Puerto Rico when it was devastated by Hurricane Maria in 2017, per the Washingtonian, and José transformed into the nation’s “humanitarian in chief” during that crisis. Whenever a hurricane made landfall, World Central Kitchen was there, offering help. It continued to help with the COVID-19 pandemic when America’s food banks were projecting a $1.4-billion shortfall.
In 2024, World Central Kitchen served more than 109 million meals across 20 countries. That same year, tragedy struck when seven WCK team members were killed by an Israeli military strike in Gaza.
“This was not just a bad luck situation where, ‘Oops, we dropped a bomb in the wrong place,’” Andrés told Reuters, emphasizing that the vehicles were clearly marked and “it’s very clear who we are and what we do.” At a memorial for the fallen aid workers, José said, “We are all consumed with anger, regret, and sorrow.”
He’s a Teacher
In 2010, José taught a course in culinary physics at Harvard, per The Washington Post. In 2012, he was named Dean of Spanish Studies at The International Culinary Center. Later that year, he taught at George Washington University.
He Sued Donald Trump
In 2016, José had planned to open a restaurant named Topo Atrio in the newly renovated Old Post Office Pavilion on Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington. But, after Donald Trump announced his presidential candidacy by despairing undocumented Mexican immigrants, José withdrew the contract. Trump sued José, and the chef fired back with a counter-lawsuit, per the Washington Post. Though Trump boasted that he never settles lawsuits (even though he does so repeatedly, as the Washington Post noted), he and José settled in 2017. The terms were not disclosed, and José continued to be an outspoken critic of Trump.
He Received a $100 Million Grant from Jeff Bezos
In 2021, Jeff Bezos awarded José $100 million to support his work with World Central Kitchen.
Following his spaceflight on July 20, 2021, the Amazon founder introduced the Courage & Civility Award—a philanthropic initiative granting recipients $100 million to donate to the charities or nonprofits of their choice. The first honorees were CNN’s Van Jones and chef-humanitarian José.
“I’m so honored. I’m really grateful for this award and the incredible support from you, Jeff, and the entire Bezos family,” said José during the event.
Jeff Bezos presents World Central Kitchen founder @chefjoseandres with the new $100 million Courage and Civility Award.
“Let’s feed the world,” Andrés says. https://t.co/9rdIXTfMeg pic.twitter.com/xI62ZPrnlS
— Cheddar News 🧀 (@cheddar) July 20, 2021
He Was Awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom
In recognition of his significant contributions, José was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian honor in the United States, by former President Joe Biden in January 2025.
WASHINGTON, DC – JANUARY 4: Chef Jose Andres gestures while being awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by U.S. President Joe Biden in the East Room of the White House on January 4, 2025 in Washington, DC. President Biden is awarding 19 recipients with the nation’s highest civilian honor. (Photo by Tom Brenner/Getty Images)
